Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-12-08
WASHINGTON LETTER
wAsHISaroN, Nov. 25, ,s7.

the eccentric Davy Crockett, who wax
a inember of Congress from Tenn. dur
ing Gen. Jack1on's administration, and
did more TO poster him than all his
other enemies combined. To this day
laughable stories are told of the old
Colonies criticisms on Washington
life, and one heard the other day is
worth preserving Crcckest had served
his first session and returned home.
His friends and neighbors Immediately
gathered around him, and were
anxious to hear all about the Capital
City. well, Colonel" said one,
'how do you like 1t in Washington
"Oh, on some accounts / like it well
enough, and in others don't" 'What
is there that you don't liker "Oh, /
don't like the way they eat, every
thing is cut up into cllques." What
do you mean, Colonelr '.Well, for
instance, there are the clerks in the de-
partments; they get their breakfast
about eight o'clock, then there are
the Bureau officers, they get their
breakfast about nine; the Cabinet Of
ficers about ten; congressman about
eleven Senators about twelve; and the
Snnronie Jadsoe about tsve, !" and here
the Colonel paused. what, is that
the way they do2 Why, when does
the president get his breakfasts "Oh,
bless you, not until the next morning,
not until the next morning" 1t is a
good deal so now. Official position
has much to do with the appetite and
digestive organs, and that accounts
for a good deal of red tape and delays
in the transaction of business.
Speaking of red tape, here is good
example that occurred only recently.
collector of customs had occasion
to repair lock upon one of the doors
of his Office. A locksmith was sum-
Inoned, and it was found that the re-
pairs would require an enormous outlay
of fifteen cents. The collector was
obliged to write to the Secretary of
the Treasury requesting permission to
make the expenditure. That letter
had to be ACKNOWLEDGED by the cores
pondence division of the department,
and then another letter from the sec.
retary's Office, granting authority to
repair the broken lock. Then a re-
ceipt from the locSsmith had TO be for
warded to the department, pass
through the Auditors Office, be enter
ed upon six different sets of books, and
finally warrant for fifteen cents was
drawn and sent to the person in whose
name it was made out. That warrant
will be cashed in any bank and in due
course of time will return to the treas
ury, where it will run through the mail
again, be checked off, and finally
safely deposited among the achieves
of the Government. There would
have been no more work il that war
rant had called for fifteen millions.
The fisheries coll missioners have
met and organized. They have most
magnificent room in the State Depart
ment adjoining the secretary. Bay
ards room, with the mahogany table
and chairs, French plate mirrors, and
all the decorative fixings that are nee
cessary to inspire august dignity. On
entering the room felt inspired with
its gorgeous beauty, but the cold chills
began to chase each other up and
down my spinal column when l was
informed that resolution had been
passed 20 keep secret all the proceed
ings, and that no newspaper man
would be welcomed. a sort OF star
chamber arrangement, that has never
thrived well on American soil. So we
are to be kept in doubt as to what is
going on in this important matter IN
der an administration OF democratic
simplicity" The whole thing looks to
me like a stupendons humbug, and will
have no real practical results, but the
"dear people" will have to foot the
bills just the same. 1t is said that Mr..
Chamberlain, the chief of the En-
glish negotiates, has two detectives
with him to lounge about public re-
sorts, gather up the expressions of the
people, and keep their chief posted on
public sentiment.
The Attorney General has rendered
an opinion of vital importance to
hundreds of Western settlers. The
last Congress passed acts forbidding a
large amount of railroad land grants,
and the questions of title of bona tide
individual purchasers was thus serious
ly jeopardized. The opinion sustains
the rights of the honest purchaser,
though the railroads hnd no just title
to convey.
Our foreign mail service shows an
unprecedented increase during the past
year, with Mexico and Central and
South American countries. and it is
hoped that this Congress will be
liberal in appropriation, and greatly
increase our facilities of communica-
ton with these near neighbors.
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